"Okay, why do I feel overdressed?" Akshara asked as they were greeted by the servers at Kairav's Mehndi party offering them welcome drinks.
It had been yesterday when Abhimanyu and Akshara had confessed their love for each other. But truth be told, they did not feel any different. Because they both knew the loved each other, and words were never a requirement for them.
They were happy that these three words, the confession solidified what they always believed about each other, their feelings for each other, but it wasn't an eye opening experience. It was just soft, subtle, truthful acceptance of their feelings. Verbalizing what they'd always felt for each other.
"Oh please. You look beautiful." Abhimanyu responded, glancing towards Akshara's pink embroidered kaftan dress, her sandals, her chunky accessories and her wavy hair. Perfect.
"Sure?" She asked, searching around the private beach which was reserved for the wedding festivities to see other women walking around in bikinis and even shorter dresses than hers wearing a sarong to cover up their naked bits.
"Abhimanyu!" Kairav came running up to Abhimanyu and Akshara wearing shorts and a open buttoned shirt, revealing his naked chest underneath. There was the name Reem tattooed over his chest with a heart in henna.
"What's up man?" Abhimanyu pulled Kairav into a fist bump turned into a embrace —something the boys did and Akshara would never understand. It was like their own secret handshake.
"I've been good. You? Finally made it huh?"
"Told you I would and I did." He chuckled, before turning his attention towards Akshara. "And this is my wife, Akshara."
Kairav nodded his head before extending his hand out for Akshara to shake. "Pleasure to meet you. Kairav, Abhimanyu's best friend."
"And the groom. Finally." Abhimanyu added, teasingly.
"Same here. Nice to meet you." Akshara replied, shaking Kairav's hand.
"I can't believe you got married! And that too, before me! What the hell man?! And you didn't even invite me? How could you?" Kairav accused.
"It happened so quick. Trust me. We ourselves didn't really know how or when it happened." Abhimanyu replied, earning a nod of agreement from Akshara. "But you tell me, Loverboy. How does it feel to finally get married after being rejected by like 50 other girls?"
Abhimanyu turned towards Akshara to explain the inside joke to Akshara. "Kairav has terrible taste in girls. He would wear his heart on his sleeve and would end up rejected every single time. He even tried the arrange marriage route. But nothing."
"Yeah, it's not like that. I'd date with the hopes of getting married but I guess the girls thought I was coming on too strong or just not their type. Heart break everywhere until I met Reem." He pointed towards a beautiful girl wearing colourful clothes and s floral headband sitting getting her henna done.
"We were colleagues turned friends turned lovers. She had been through a bad breakup of a long term relationship and I was going through a phase of bad first dates. And we just clicked." Kairav sighed happily, reminiscing his love life. "So don't listen to Chunky Monkey over here."
"Chunky Monkey?" Akshara inquired looking over at Abhimanyu with widened eyes.
"Oh? He didn't tell you? Before he became a hotshot doctor, surgeon, he used to a bit chunky. And his eating habits would run parallel to exam season."
"I was a stress eater who used to eat and study only during exam season. Hence why they called me, Chunky Monkey." Abhimanyu added.
"And then he went to the gym, started working out and turned into the player you see today. Had all the girls gushing over him to their wits end. Leaving is with the leftovers." Kairav announced shamelessly.
Akshara turned towards Abhimanyu, shocked by Kairav's revelation. She knew Abhimanyu had been dork during the time of his heartbreak but she had no idea that between his skinny dork phase to his breathtakingly hot and handsome phase, he also had a chunky monkey phase.
"Yeah, don't think too much. I burnt all my Chunky Monkey phase pictures." Abhimanyu looked at Akshara.
"But I may have some! Let me see if I can find them." Kairav added, peaking Akshara's interest.
"Yes! Yes please." She grinned at Abhimanyu.
"Don't you dare, K! I have dirty pics of you too to show Reem!" Abhimanyu warned his best friend.
"That reminds me, I'll introduce you both to Reem."
Abhinanyu and Akshara followed Kairav towards Reem. They watched as Kairav bent down, gave Reem a kiss on the lips before pointing her towards Abhimanyu and Akshara.
"And this is my best friend, Abhimanyu. Remember I told you about him?"
"Hi, Abhimanyu! Nice to finally meet you! I've heard a lot about you from Kairav!"
"Nice to meet you too!" Abhimanyu replied, smiling.
"And this is Abhimanyu's wife. Akshara." Kairav introduced Akshara to Reem.
"Hi, Akshara!"
"Hi! Nice to meet you. Congratulations for the wedding."
"Thanks! Want to join me? Get your henna done?" Reem asked.
Akshara turned to look at Abhimanyu who nodded his head. "Your choice."
"Yes, I'd love that." Akshara went and sat beside Reem, holding her hand out so the artist could get started on her hand whilst Abhimanyu and Kairav stood a few feet away, simply watching their better halves.
~*~
"I'll be right back." Abhimanyu informed Kairav as he picked up a drink off the counter and walked to where Akshara was sitting getting her henna done.
"Abhi?" She asked, surprised.
Abhimanyu moved the lose strand of hair away from her face, the one he'd witnessed her struggling with and tucked it behind her ears.
"Thanks. It was bothering me since I started getting the henna done." She replied, smiling softly at him.
"Thirsty?"
"A little bit."
Abhimanyu held up the drink to her lips, which Akshara sipped no problem.
"Thanks." Akshara replied, her cheeks flushing at Abhimanyu's care.
"Hungry?"
She shook her head, "Not yet."
Abhimanyu nodded his head and moved away from Akshara and went to join Kairav again.
"What?" Abhimanyu asked when he found Kairav smiling broadly at him.
"It feels nice. To see the Casanova of Mumbai becoming a one woman man. You are whipped with a capital W, bro. But it suits you."
Abhimanyu turned his head towards where Akshara and Reem had now been pulled in to dance by Reem's cousins and friends. A soft smile occurred on Abhimanyu's face as he watched Akshara's face light up as she dipped her hips and swayed to the Bollywood music blaring through the speakers.
She was enjoying herself. Their eyes interlocked as Akshara felt Abhimanyu's gaze locked on her. She could feel him staring at her. She looked up towards him and smiled, her cheeks turning red. Why did he —and the intense way he stared at her make her heart skip a beat?
She waved at him, calling him over to dance but he shook his head. Choosing to stand back and sip on his drink and watch her dance instead. Kairav was right. He was whipped. Whipped for Akshara. And he was absolutely and completely fine with it.
~*~
Akshara walked up to Abhimanyu holding her henna crafted hands out for him. "I have your name hidden in the design. Can you find it?"
"Is that supposed to be a challenge?"
"Sure. Let's say it is."
Abhimanyu gazed at Akshara's hands, searching through the intricate details for his name. His eyes scanned the right palm first before moving on to the left palm.
"There it is!" He yelled, a sigh of relief overcoming him. "On the ring finger, hidden within those lines."
The name search almost had Abhimanyu sweating because it really was harder than he'd imagined. He didn't even want to think the daggers Akshara would have thrown at him had he failed. Not to mention the constant mocking and teasing he'd have to bare for being a failure.
"Nice! I thought for a moment you wouldn't be able to find it."
"Oh please. It was a piece of cake." Abhimanyu lied.
"Uh uh. Liar." Akshara rolled her eyes.
"You want to eat something?" Abhimanyu asked, changing the subject.
"Yes please. I'm starving. But..." Akshara held her hands up to show him the still wet henna.
"You can just ask me to feed you, you know."
"Oh my dear husband, would you please feed your dear wife before she starves herself to death?"
"I don't know man. Let me think about it." Abhimanyu chuckled as they walked over to the buffet and Akshara and Abhimanyu both filled one single plate with food they both liked.
"Here." Abhimanyu held the fork up to Akshara's mouth, making her have a bite before he did.
Abhimanyu smiled, staring affectionately at Akshara as he continued to feed her. She looked so innocent. So childlike. So cute. So tiny. And his.
Slowly but surely, Abhimanyu managed to finish feeding both Akshara and himself.
~*~
As Abhimanyu and Akshara were heading out of Kairav's Mehndi party and back to their island, Akshara heard her name being called in the distance with a very faintly familiar voice.
"Akshara!"
Abhimanyu felt his jaw tic and his hold on Akshara's hand tighten as they turned around to face the voice.
"Akshara! I thought it was you!" A shirtless man holding a surfboard walked up to them.
"Nikhil?"
Without warning, Nikhil moved into embrace Akshara making Abhimanyu's jaw lock and his eyes darken, leaving him miffed.
"How are you?! Six months! Goddamn. Such a long time."
"I'm good. It's nice to see you again." Akshara tried her best to be polite just as she felt Abhimanyu's rage bubbling up beside her.
"Nikhil, I'd like you to meet my husband, Dr. Abhimanyu Birla. And Abhimanyu, this is Nikhil Kapoor. Nikhil works in the Real Estate business. He's an investor of sorts." Akshara explained.
"Husband?"
"Husband." Abhimanyu reiterated, pulling up to Nikhil, towering over him as they shook hands, neither of them backing down.
"Nikhil and I dated. For a while." Akshara explained.
"Akshara was the girl that got away. Or well, the girl I let get away. I told her to come join me in Dubai. I'd take care of her. But she had her own set of principles. And we decided to be friends. But I guess life just got in the way." He glared at Abhimanyu as he said those words.
"So, what have you been up to?" Akshara asked, making small talk.
"Nothing. Still settled in Dubai. Vacationing around the globe though. I'm here with my girlfriend." Nikhil waved a steward over and grabbed a drink from his tray.
Abhimanyu felt like punching and wiping that smirk off the guy's face. How the fuck was he standing here boasting about his girlfriend whilst he was trying to flirt with Akshara?
"Oh! Where is she?"
"Oh? You drink?" Abhimanyu tried to stay aloof, stay calm but he finally ended up interrupting Akshara and Nikhil's conversation when he felt as if he was holding onto his last shred of patience.
"Yes. Don't tell me you are going to tell me not to drink now saying it's not good for my health, blah blah, blah. Doctors I tell you." Nikhil mocked glancing toward Akshara flirtatiously.
"No, why would I do that? In fact, it's suggested you drink at least 2 bottles of whiskey a day. Great for the liver and overall health of your body." Abhimanyu glared at Nikhil staring at his Akshara, responding dryly, sarcastic dripping from his each and every word.
Nikhil turned to face Abhimanyu with a frown. "Excuse me?"
"Do you smoke too?"
Nikhil looked at Akshara before answering. "Yes. Occasionally. Why?"
"How much?"
"1-2 cigarettes."
"That's it?"
"Yes...why?" Things were staring to get awkward now. Akshara had no idea why Abhimanyu was hounding Nikhil.
"Oh, no, I was just going to say, don't pay attention to those scientific journals who tell you smoking is injurious for your health. In fact, you should smoke at least 3 packs a day. Your lungs will thank you for being so caring. Trust me. I'm a doctor. Have you thought of doing recreational drugs? The hard substances perhaps?" Abhimanyu added, all signs of humour vanished from his face.
Nikhil's smile turned into a nasty scowl, as he found himself being baffled by Abhimanyu's expert advice. He turned to Akshara, "I will see you around. Maybe we should catch up over a cup of coffee or something before you head back to Mumbai?"
"Uhh..."
"No can do. I hate coffee." Abhimanyu interrupted, his eyes flaring with possessiveness.
"Uhh, no thank you, Nikhil. We are quite busy. But it was nice meeting you." Akshara replied, trying not to crack a smile at Abhimanyu's burning jealousy.
"Well then, have yourselves a great day. Nice to meet you, Akshara and..." Nikhil did not bother to say Abhimanyu's name, instead just nodding his head towards him in displeasure.
After Nikhil had left, Akshara turned to see Abhimanyu's playful demeanor had turned into a lowly frown border lying on an defensive scowl.
"What was that?" She questioned him.
"What? Just doing my job." He shrugged.
"Your job is to save patients and put them on healthy habits. Not spoil them by giving them bad advice."
"If I don't encourage them to drink and smoke, then how will we get our future patients? Playing the long game you see. Starting with him." Abhinanyu pressed his lips together in displeasure.
"Abhi! That's not nice! You shouldn't have been rude to him!" Akshara scolded.
"You're defending that Buffon?" Abhimanyu asked, appalled.
"I'm not defending him! I'm reprimanding your behavior, you Dumdum!" She argued.
"I don't need to be reprimanded. I behaved in a very orderly manner." Abhimanyu replied, hurt that Akshara was defending her ex over him.
"Oh my god. Are you sulking?" Akshara inquired, her mouth falling agape.
"No I'm not." Abhimanyu's expressions were sullen, reserved, much in contrast to how he was before meeting Nikhil.
"Yes, you are. Come on, now. Out with it."
"I said I'm fine." Abhimanyu pursed his lips together, dawning his sunglasses, picking up his drink and walking away from Akshara. Not jealous at all.
Akshara shook her head at Abhimanyu's attitude. Man was reeking of jealousy. But oh God, he looked so cute throwing a mini tempter tantrum when he was jealous.
Akshara grabbed her drink and chased after the love of her life, ready to annoy him into giving him attention until he confessed he was jealous.
As soon as she ran up behind an angrily walking Abhimanyu stepping through the sand like King Kong, Akshara could tell he was pissed.
She tapped him on the left shoulder and just as Abhimanyu turned his head to the left, Akshara peaked her head around his right shoulder.
"Abhi, are you jealous?" She called his name teasingly, trying to grind his buttons, rile him up.
"Jealous? Who me? Not at all, Akshu."
"Akshu?" She fluttered her lashes.
"Akshu!" He mimicked her innocently teasing flare, mockingly.
"Akshu?" She frowned.
"You can call me Abhi but I can't call you Akshu?"
"Akshu sounds bleh. Don't call me Akshu." She scrunched her nose up in displeasure.
Guess Akshara forgot that one basic rule of annoying. If you tell someone you hate something, they are more likely to increase the frequency of that said something.
"Akshu!"
"Abhi!"
"Akshu!"
"Abhi!" She warned.
"Akshu. Akshu. Akshu! AKSHU!" Abhimanyu's voice continuously got louder the more times he yelled out Akshu to her face.
"ABHI ABHI ABHI ABHI ABHI!" Akshara huffed in response, her face heated.
"Guess what?" He stated, his nose touching hers.
They had no idea why they were acting so nonsensical but neither Abhimanyu or Akshara wanted to be the wiser of the two and figure out what the hell was going on with their attitudes.
"What?" She growled, not backing down.
"Unlike you, I actually like being called Abhi." He smirked, before adding sweetly, "Akshu." Just to get a rise out of her.
"Fine! You call me Akshu once more and I withhold sex from you till you apologize!" Yeah, no way she was going to be able to withhold sex from him. She needed, no enjoyed sex as much as he did.
"Is this supposed to be a punishment for me or for you, Akshu? And apologize for what?" Abhimanyu smirked, knowing full well how addicted Akshara was to him.
"I said what I said! No sex until you stop calling me Akshu." She took the apology out of her list of demands. She could be stubborn but she also would like to have sex a bit quicker than Abhimanyu would ever dare apologize.
"Ha! In your dreams, Akshu." Abhimanyu was trying his best to stay calm but he knew that he craved sex as much as she did. And he'd never had someone withhold sex from him. Ever. But then again, he'd never been in love before too. New experiences. Ugh.
"Fine. You want to withhold sex from me? Fine. Let's see who cracks first." He smirked, taking up the challenge.
"Fine. Challenge accepted."
Abhimanyu turned on his heel and made his way to the docks where their taxi boat was parked, to take them back to their island, leaving behind a miffed Akshara to follow. She was left thinking about how one single element of simple annoyance to make Abhimanyu accept his jealousy had turned into a battle with sex at stake.